Typewriter ribbon rejuvenator



Aug. 25, 1931. F. R. swlTzER y TYPEWRITER RIBBON REJUVENATOR Filed May 2, 1929 Inventor Ff?. wzer @M k Attorneys Patented VAug. 25, 11931 PAT l FLOYD R. SWITZER, F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A KSSIGJS'OR T0 THE LA coivrrenv, Y A 'CQRPORATIQN or ALABAIVI'Av Application ledpMay 2, 1929i.k Serial No, 359,933.'

My invention relates toma device for rejuvenfzrlrlQingl andz extending the useful life of af 'typewriter ribbon andl ribbonsof similar apparatus has forV its object the provision of apparatus ofthe character designated which shall be simple of design and construction, economical to manufacture, andwhich shall be effective to furnish an even supply of moistning fluid to a ribbon throughout the lengthrthereof and thereby f greatly extend the useful life of aribbon.

A further object of my invention is to provide a small, 'easily manipulated device which may bereadily employed from time to l time as occasion requires, to moisten a typewriter ribbon with a proper solution, and

which shall be effective to evenly distribute the moistening fluid throughout the ribbon without an excess at any one point which would cause the ink to spread and the impressions of the type to be blurred.

would remoisten the ribbon and make available a larger percentage 0f the ink supply therein but great difficulties have been encountered in carrying out such an application in the way of supplying a uniform lamountof the moistening fluid to the ribbon throughout its length. I have found that unless the ribbon be thoroughly and uniformly moistened throughout its length the impressions made from the type are uneven in appearance, varying from a faint impression where the moistening is inadequate, to

blurred impressions where there is an excess of moistening fluid.

These and other difficulties are overcome 'by my invention and I accomplish a uniform distribution of the moistening fluid throughout the typewriter ribbon so that type impressions of uniform appearance are obtained from the ribbon and its useful life equivalent material.

multiplied many times over ,what it Would, have been, without the use ofmy device.y In4 accordance with my invention I provide aA wick of` felt or other equivalent, material which is adapted to bear against. the type,-vz Writer ribbon and provide means whereby. the wick is impregnated yor.satura-tedwithan'i even supply of moistening fiuidin the nature of an ink solvent and this .degreeofisatura-I tion appears to remain substantially constant;A while the ribbon is drawn from endfto end;v thereof over` the wick so thatvthe fluid isap- 1 plied tothe ribbon uniformly. When this .is done,l the type impressions made. with 'their ribbony are uniform and not.v blurred.` The even supply of moisteningvfluild to the wick provided by means ofv a reservoir packedv with loose fibrous material :which ,is saturated with the moistening fluid and vwhich bears against the wick,y so that( the supply is car?r4 ried to thewick bycapillary attraction. addition, l employ afilling columnextend? ing upwardly from kthe reservoir where-byA the force of gravity,l aids the capillary at traction in supplying the wick'.` A convenient :manually operable means is embodied in the'device for holding theribbon againstfthef wick witha uniform pressure whenthe `de-A vice is in use. Y i

A device embodyingfeatures of myinvenf, tionl is illustrated in, the:y accoinpanyingAv drawings, formingkr a A part this fapplvicaQ-Q` 7 tion, wherein e Fig, Vl isaside; elevation, partly in ,sec-V tion, of my improved device;

FiOL'Q is a rear elevationfof; ,thelsame;

Fig; 3 is a vertical sectional vi'evvf.,drawnr to'anenlarged scale; andA 'l i f f Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionaleview taken along the lineIV-IVfof Fig. 3 l s Referring to the drawings forl abetterZun-j derstanding Vof my invention, my improved.; moistening device comprises areser'voir, lO.- having an open side 11. Fitting within. the

sie

open siderll is a frame structure ,12;wuhichserves to retain a Wickl?? made of felt or` The reservoir i10 ,isf packed with loose fibrousV4 material lfwhich'k material bears againstfhe. Wickl ontheging, side of the reservoir.

Extending upwardly from the reservoir 10 is a filling column 16 provided with a screw cap 17, the column 16 being also packed with the loose fibrous material. The packing 14; which extends up into the filling column is saturated with a suitable moistening fluid in the nature of an ink solvent. The fluid in the column 16 is aided by gravity in its capillary flow through the fibrous material and into the wick 13. The quantity of fluid supplied is never enough to create a running or dripping of the fluid, but only sufficient to saturate the Wick.

I have found that a fluid comprising subcitantially 85% mineral seal oil, 6% neats* foot oil, 4% glycerine and 5% methyl salicylate or oil of bergamot to be a suitable moistening fluid.

With the apparatus described, I have found that if a typewriter ribbon, shown at 18, is broughtto bear against the saturated wick 13 in the open face of the reservoir 10, and the ribbon is drawn from end to end across the Wick, a uniform supply of moistening fluid is distributed to the ribbon throughout its length. In order that the ribbon 18 may be held against the wick 18 with an even pressure, I provide a plate 19 hinged to the upper edge of the reservoir 10 at 21 and provided with an upwardly extending finger piece 22 which latter is pressed forwardly by a spring 23. In use the ribbon 18 is placed under the plate 19 as shown in the drawings and is drawn across the wick. In manipulating the device, the filling column 16 also serves as a convenient handle, and being adjacent the finger piece 22, the plate 18 is easily operated to place it over a typewriter ribbon.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifica tions, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art, or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

It is understood that the term typewriter ribbon, as employed in the specification and claims, is intended to apply to equivalent api paratus employing an inked ribbon to obtain ty e impressions.

Vhat I claim is:

1. A typewriter ribbon moistener comprising a reservoir having an opening in one side thereof and being packed with loose fibrous material saturated with a moistening fluid, a relatively flat wick of close fibrous material disposed across the opening, and a spring pressed plate hinged across the opening and adapted to press the typewriter ribbon against the Wick.

2. A typewriter ribbon moistener comprising a reservoir having an opening in one side thereof and being packed With loose fibrous material saturated with a moistening fluid, a relatively flat wick of close fibrous material disposed across the opening, a spring pressed plate hinged across the opening and adapted to press the typewriter ribbon against the Wick, and a filling column extending upwardly from the reservoir and having a packing of loose fibrous material saturated with a moistening fluid and bearing against the wick.

3. A portable moistener for typewriterl ribbons comprising a reservoir having an opening in one side thereof and being packed with loose fibrous material saturated with a moistening fluid, a filling column extending upwardly from the reservoir and also packed with the loose fibrous material, a spring pressed plate covering the opening and hinged to the upper side thereof, said plate being adapted to press the ribbon against the open side of the reservoir, a finger piece for the plate extending alongside the filling column and a felt wick, disposed across the opening in the side of the reservoir and bearing against the loose fibrous material on one side and the wick on the other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FLOYD R. SVITZER. 

